7 Book Club Gifts that Add to the Enjoyment of All Members
Bookish gifts needn’t be just another bookmark, or something else to read. Book club gifts for members ought to bring more to the group as a whole... Be conversational starters, things that add to the reading experience, possibly be sharable between members, and most of all, be practical.
7 Book Club Gift Ideas
1. DIY Book Nook Kits
Book nook kits make terrific gifts for bibilophiles who have bookcases filled with books as it's an aesthetically pleasing piece of bookshelf decor that adds visual interest and stimulates conversations. Perfect for hosting a book club meeting. It’s a fun and quirky puzzle that once assembled, slots between the books creating the illusion of a 3-dimensional scene, much like a miniature diorama.
To personalize the gift to the recipient, you could choose the theme of the book nook kit based on their most loved genre, or, if perhaps there’s an important date coming up like an anniversary, members could pool their resources for a unique DIY book nook kit for a couple to assemble together.
2. Book Scented Candles
Book scented candles are always a favorite gift for bookworms. The scents can evoke memories of old libraries, used or new book smells, memories of trips to bookstores, and/or the student days spent in community libraries learning loads of new things. When looking for the distinct scents, it’s not the name of the candle but the essential oils it’s made with that give it the unique smell. The scent of leather bound books with a hint of musk reminiscent of used books in an old library or a used bookstore, and the obvious wood scent for the pulp the paper’s made with. Look for fragrances like cedarwood, sandalwood, and vetiver for earthly scents.
3. A Quote on a Printed Tote Bag
Tote bags tend be made of jute, cotton, or canvas, and can be customized, perhaps with a club logo and the name of the book club, and/or a personalized quote like Jhumpa Lahiri’s quote:
“That’s the thing about books. They let you travel without moving your feet”.
They’re practical for transporting all the little knick-knacks that readers bring to club meetings, whether that be book related paraphernalia - book marks, a journal and stationary, and their favorite cup, or a bottle if your book club is a BYOB (bring your own bottle) meet-up.
4. Journal and Pen Sets
Decades ago, a journal was called a diary. In today’s era, it’s a learning tool. People who journal are on a journey of self-discovery. They can write personal notes about books they liked, disliked, favorite authors, books that weren’t finished because they didn’t like the author’s prose, or perhaps just felt a disconnect. Journals are a tool that readers can use to understand why they like a certain genre, a particular author, or find certain characters relatable. Naturally, it’s not all about the books people read. It’s about life. And one day, the journal itself becomes an interesting read.
5. A Bookniture
The Bookniture takes origami to a whole new level. It’s a folding stool that folds up to the size of a book to fit on your bookshelf. So sturdy that adults can stand on it to reach the top shelf of bookcases. For those who like to take their tote bags to the beach, the park, or even like to sit under the canopy of a tree with a book in hand, they could pop one of these in their bag for a pop-up reading stool to use anywhere.
6. Blind Date with a Book
There’s variations of this gift idea - some stores sell a mystery book, some are a mystery book with a cocktail recipe, others are entire packs like Mushies Works, and The Boozy Lady that include a number of book related gifts like stickers, highlighters, pens, and a bookmark. It’s essentially a mystery book with a reading kit, although you do get to pick the genre. Anything else is random. You could even run with the idea and build your own package for book club members, using a different genre for each gift. That way, members can swap.
7. A Custom Book Stamp
Books frequently go walk about. From work or from people borrowing them who conveniently forget to return them. A custom book stamp is a decorative alternative to signing the book, or even just writing the date it was purchased as a way to personalize it. When browsing books in used book stores, it’s often the personal inscriptions, signatures, and quirky mementos inscribed on the inside cover that gives the book its own story.
As a book club gift, it could be as simple as a group gift of a custom book stamp for “book of the month”, perhaps a club logo, and then the date can be handwritten. In the future, people finding it on the shelves of thrift stores or used bookstores would be more likely to choose the one that a book club selected. It could even encourage new members to join your club. Handy for book clubs that have recently started and are looking to attract new members.